Bamba thrown out of Macau GP

The Now Motorsports driver came around the final corner far too fast on a pre-race reconnaissance lap and struck the back of Cheong Lou Meng's car, which had already taken up its position on the grid, before ending up against the tyre barriers.

Both cars suffered suspension damage and were unable to start the race, although Lou Meng did rejoin the event later on.

Bamba was summoned by the Race Stewards to explain his actions and was informed late on Saturday that he had been excluded from the event.

A statement issued by the race organisers said: "The Stewards find that Taku Bamba caused an avoidable collision in that on joining the grid he failed to stop in sufficient time and collided with the rear of car 32 which had been stationary on the grid prior to the arrival of Taku Bamba.

"The collision caused damage to both cars and possible injury to personnel present on the grid struck by car 32."

The Stewards' hardline on safety comes on the same day that French bike racer Bruno Bonhuil, a former endurance world champion, was killed in an accident during the Macau Bike Grand Prix warm-up.